Tesla Model 3 Performance “Ludicrous,” the latest rumors

Tesla is set to unveil the Performance variant of its Model 3 Highland this week. In the meantime, here are the latest rumors.

First of all, Tesla is reportedly paying homage once again to the cult film “Spaceballs” by badgeing this model “Ludicrous,” which means… ridiculous! What a funny idea you might say if you haven’t seen the movie, but know that the dark hero Lord Dark Helmet, a dim-witted version of Darth Vader, decides that light speed is not enough and activates Ludicrous mode. The speed is such that the stars no longer form light streaks, but plaid patterns, hence the Tesla Model S Plaid. That’s the cultural bit of this article; now let’s shift our focus to the tech.

The Model 3 Performance is expected to receive the latest sports seats debuted on the Model S. Benefiting from the expertise of its cousin space branch Space X, these seats are described as the most advanced ever developed for a daily-use sports car.

The front and rear bumpers appear to be slightly modified, especially at the lower part, likely to generate some downforce akin to the ground effect seen on the latest generation F1 cars. There should be an additional splitter at the front and a spoiler on the rear trunk, both made of raw carbon as expected. Beautiful large Turbine alloy wheels will complete the sporty look of this electrified American vehicle.

The Track mode is of course on the agenda if you want to push the limits of the beast on the circuit. It features a completely new calibration coupled with adaptive suspension to enhance feedback at the steering wheel, thus refining steering precision. It will be possible to customize the handling, driving aids, and regenerative braking to configure the car to your liking. The brake cooling has also been optimized to ensure a sharper bite and, most importantly, better endurance. After all, we’re talking about nearly 2 tons of mass to slow down at high speed!

And the power? We could safely say it should be between 550 and 620 horsepower… But we’re betting on over 600 horsepower! Furthermore, we estimate it to be between 618 and 624 based on leaks from Chinese homologation documents. Enough to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3 seconds like any respectable sports car.

The previous model was priced at 55,990 euros in France during its final stages, and a Model Y Performance costs today 57,990 euros. A launch price close to 60,000 euros would therefore not be surprising for this Ludicrous to capitalize on the enthusiasm of the brand’s most ardent fans, before dropping by 2 or 3,000 euros after a few weeks to attract those on the fence. The usual Tesla approach.